Community reacts to Knight's firing

Published 9:06 pm, Sunday, February 16, 2014

Lamar coach, Pat Knight directs for the side during the game against UT-Arlington at the Montagne Center at Lamar University in Beaumont, Saturday, January 14, 2012. Tammy McKinley/The Enterprise

Lamar coach, Pat Knight directs for the side during the game against UT-Arlington at the Montagne Center at Lamar University in Beaumont, Saturday, January 14, 2012. Tammy McKinley/The Enterprise

Photo: TAMMY MCKINLEY

Community reacts to Knight's firing

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It wasn't just the losses.

A 6-50 record over the past two seasons led to Pat Knight's firing Sunday as the Lamar men's basketball coach. But as the defeats mounted, his program's relationship with the community began to fall apart.

Fans at Lamar's baseball game Sunday afternoon were asked for their reaction to Knight's firing. Some were surprised at the timing. Nobody was saddened at the result.

James Patton has been to just about every home game dating to 1976. He is the sales manager at Cotton Cargo, which sells Lamar apparel at games.

During timeouts at basketball games, fans will come to his booth, and he changes the television to ESPN until he hears the whistle blow to signal the start of play. At that point he changes the channel back to the Lamar game. Except lately, his customers have been asking him to not change it back.

"Some people have been telling me, 'it's about time,'" Patton said. "Halfway through the game Saturday, fans are leaving saying, 'I can't take this any more.'"

He said sales are down since Knight's team began losing last season. He sells more during the women's games.

"You have great facilities, it's a basketball school, you can recruit Houston and the Golden Triangle's talent – you should win here," said Tracy Chatman, who was a pitcher at Lamar from 1981-83.